President Donald Trump unleashed a scathing attack on CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins via Truth Social on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, calling her “stupid and nasty” after she reported on his controversial White House ballroom construction project. The president’s tirade, which misspelled the journalist’s name as “Caitlin Collin’s,” marks the latest in a series of personal attacks he has directed at female reporters in recent weeks.
The incident stems from Collins’ Thursday broadcast in which she reported that Trump had clashed with the original architect of the ballroom project. She noted that both the size and cost of the construction had ballooned significantly since initial plans were announced. The ballroom’s budget had jumped from $200 million to $300 million, prompting Trump to hire a new architect to oversee the expanded vision.
In his lengthy Truth Social post, Trump defended the cost increase by explaining the project’s expanded scope. He claimed the new ballroom would be “double the size” of the original plans and insisted the quality of finishes and interiors had been elevated to the highest level. “It’s just much bigger and more beautiful than originally planned,” Trump wrote. “Interestingly, and seldom reported, there are no taxpayer dollars involved.”
Trump maintained that despite the dramatic increase in both size and budget, the project remained “actually under budget and ahead of schedule, as my jobs always are.” He emphasized that the ballroom would be much bigger and more beautiful than originally planned and repeated his assertion that no taxpayer dollars were involved in the construction. The entire project is being funded through private donations.
The president’s attack extended beyond Collins herself to her employer and its leadership. “FAKE NEWS CNN, and the guy who runs the whole corrupt operation that owns it, is one of the worst in the business,” the president declared. Trump mocked the network’s viewership numbers, claiming their ratings were very low.
When contacted for comment, both CNN and Collins declined to respond to the president’s social media tirade. However, Collins later addressed the incident on Instagram, where she clarified her question to Trump. “Technically, my question was about Venezuela,” Collins wrote in response to Trump’s post.
The confusion appears to stem from ongoing tensions between the United States and Venezuela, with the Trump administration issuing threats to bomb the South American country over allegations that it has facilitated narcotics imports into the U.S. Collins had asked Trump about these threats during the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw on Friday, but the president brushed aside the question by touting his foreign policy achievements instead.
This attack on Collins represents just one example in a disturbing pattern of the president targeting female journalists who pose challenging questions. In November, when reporter Catherine Lucey inquired about questions, Trump called her “Piggy.” The misogynistic comment drew immediate condemnation from reporters across the industry, with Collins herself jumping to Lucey’s defense on social media, praising her work.
The verbal assaults continued when Trump called New York Times reporter Katie Rogers ugly inside and out. Trump also called another reporter a stupid person when asked about a National Guard shooting.
The pattern of attacks raises broader questions about the relationship between the president and the press corps, particularly female journalists who are tasked with holding the administration accountable. Presidential press interactions have historically been contentious, with reporters from across the political spectrum expected to ask tough questions regardless of who occupies the Oval Office. However, the personal nature of Trump’s attacks, which frequently include insults about intelligence and appearance, goes beyond traditional pushback against critical coverage.
The White House ballroom project at the center of this latest controversy has been a source of ongoing debate, with questions about its necessity, cost, and funding sources continuing to draw scrutiny from journalists and lawmakers alike. Trump’s insistence that private donations will cover all expenses has done little to quell concerns about transparency, particularly given the dramatic increase in the project’s budget.
As the situation continues to develop, the incident serves as yet another flashpoint in the contentious relationship between Trump and the media organizations tasked with covering his administration. The president’s willingness to engage in personal attacks against journalists, particularly women, shows no signs of abating as he continues his second term in office.